[MisterF]

What do we know about David Miller? Very little as well. However, if I was a progressive voter, I would still vote for him. I think he truly wanted to be progressive just like Rob Ford has no intention to be progressive, barely paying lip services.

Funny enough, I didn't vote for Ford on "cut taxes". Tax cuts are easy, anybody could do it. George Bush did it, Stephen Harper did it.

Harper also raised taxes. But he never talks about that.

 

[Eug]

Ford and his brother aren't bigots.

Well, I've been proven wrong.

I'd be shocked if anyone didn't think he was homophobic.

 

[Ak2809]

Rob Ford may be a bigot, however, calling someone a bigot is not an effective argument. A bigot can be anyone who displays animosity towards another's beliefs, and that includes political beliefs.

Rob Ford may also be uncomfortable with being at pride for moral or religious reasons. This is perfectly fine and acceptable, as his freedom of conscience is enshrined in our charter of rights and freedoms.

The left always champions itself as being tolerant and progressive. Tolerance has to apply to everyone, and not select groups for politically motivated reasons.

That being said, I am hoping that Ford will show up at pride.

 

[Eug]

Because I haven't seen or heard anything that shows them to be bigoted towards gays. I mean, actual concrete evidence where they're both expressing a hate for gays and a desire to hurt them.

Huh? Since when does being homophobic necesarily mean you want to bash your gay neighbour's head in?

When you actually dig this up, you can claim victory.

I'm surprised you don't think statements like these are clear enough:

Ford on funding for AIDS sufferers: "It is very preventable. If you are not doing needles and you are not gay, you wouldn't get AIDS probably, that's bottom line."

When confronted with the truth, that the biggest growth of AIDS was actually in women, he went on to say:

"How are women getting it? Maybe they are sleeping with bi-sexual men."

And who cares if he doesn't go to Pride?

I've been saying this all along in this thread.

Rob Ford may also be uncomfortable with being at pride for moral or religious reasons. This is perfectly fine and acceptable, as his freedom of conscience is enshrined in our charter of rights and freedoms.

The left always champions itself as being tolerant and progressive. Tolerance has to apply to everyone, and not select groups for politically motivated reasons.

That being said, I am hoping that Ford will show up at pride.

Quite a reasonable view, IMO.

 

[nfitz]

Ford was elected on the "cut taxes", "we have a spending problem not a revenue problem" & "gravy train" lines ad nauseum, a clever Conservative election strategy. The average voter knew little more about Ford save for perhaps those in his riding and perhaps water cooler discussions.

Agreed - which is why most of the people who voted for Ford aren't bigots. I'd like to think that most people who voted for him would be horrified to find out the criminal record, stories about the alcohol and druge use, anti-gay hatred, etc. are true.

Again with your bigotry crusade. You need proof. Not projecting your dislike onto the man then claiming he's out to destroy gays.

I've never said that he's out to destroy gays. Just that he is an anti-gay bigot. I've provided detailed proof in earlier posts - that no one refuted. He has clearly said he is opposed to same-sex marriage and he expressed support for a very vocal anti-gay preacher; at this point anyone who claims Ford isn't a bigot, must also be a bigot.

Ford and his brother aren't bigots.

Hmm ... I guess I'll assume you simply haven't read the entire thread, and the pre-election threads.

 

[adma]

Unless you never listened to these artists as was the case in my house. Next time someone should actually think this through and not just assume that everyone is familar with Dylan and Joni...

So basically, you're admitting you grew up in a realm of tasteless poverty and stupidity. You're in your 40s, kiddo. You''ve had enough time to absorb a few rudiments. And in a realm like Urban Toronto, you might as well be arguing that it's useless to assume that everyone is familiar with Le Corbusier or Jane Jacobs...

 

[typezed]

Since I needed to be downtown later that day, I went in to watch the last Council proceedings on the Wednesday morning. In the elevator on the way up Councillour Parker informed me that I was missing much, but I arrived just in time to see Mayor Ford mug it up on the pink bike, disrupting Councillour Wong-Tam's attempts to announce the upcoming Pride celebrations. Half way through the morning an adult ESL class arrived, about fifteen students and their teachers sitting in the top row spanning one of the aisles. They were publicly welcomed by the Speaker. First Councillour Augmeri walked up to speak with them. The students appeared to have no idea who she was, but a few politely shook her hand. She does look like a nice lady.

Then Mayor Ford yanked up his pants and marched over to them. He stood on the stairs reaching back to his mean-looking bullet head assistant a couple steps below, who was carrying a large stack of business cards. This time the students, many of them women with colourful scarfs wrapped around their heads, became all giddy with excitement. They knew who this guy was. On the floor the conflict of interest officer was attempting to present her report. Due to the noise in chambers, it was impossible to follow her. Two, three times she was interrupted when the Speaker or another Councillour made attempts to lessen the noise. Ford and the group of students moved away from the viewing area and onto the upper area near the elevators, but the noise from the group still buzzed with their excitement. I doubt that these people share Ford's drive to cut costs and services (as new immigrants in an ESL programme they are probably heavily reliant on them). They probably have little understanding of what he stands for. But when he approached them, the faces of the students I could see across from me lit up like he was a celebrity.

Ford's simplicity works for him. Unless a big scandal undermines that quality, it will probably continue to work for him. He's like a cartoon character, instantly memorable in a superficial way. I saw how this group of mostly female recent immigrants reacted to him and wondered how much that same reaction happens in the apartment blocks of Scarborough and North York, and wondered how many votes that will translate into, especially after he has spent three years playing the mayor.

 

[PinkLucy]

I'd like to think that most people who voted for him would be horrified to find out the criminal record, stories about the alcohol and druge use, anti-gay hatred, etc. are true.

The only person I know who thinks Ford is great is my mother. Fortunately, she doesn't live in Toronto so she couldn't vote for him. When I told her about the DUI, drunken behaviour at the Gardens, etc. she said it was all lies made up by the left to discredit him. I'm sure she's not alone in thinking this; she's of the Archie Bunker generation who just doesn't trust those left-wing pinkos. (Let's just say I don't often discuss politics with her because it gives me a headache)

 

[nfitz]

Wow ... that was extreme (some extremely anti-gay posts deleted for those that missed it).

This is part of my concern with Ford. He may well not be the kind of person that actually hates gays and would cause direct harm (and I certainly haven't seen any evidence that he does). However his prejudice that he has promoted in the past, and does nothing to mitigate, merely gives those in society that to bash (and kill) gays the wrong idea that it is okay to have such prejudices - let alone act on them.

It's for reasons like this that Ford either needs to grow up, or resign.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

You are mistaken. The city predicted that during the afternoon rush that stretch would take from 8 up to 10 minutes, but they are measuring it at up to 14 minutes. So, it's 4 minutes (40%) longer than they predicted.

I believe the report was more like an additional 2 - 4 minutes, but no matter - it does not take an additional 14 minutes. I can walk from my home at Wellesley & Jarvis to 256 Jarvis (south of Gerrard) to my friend's place in 10 minutes which is over 1/4 of the whole street. Further, it's less than a 10 minute walk from Wellesley to Bloor, I do it every single day with my dog and your saying it takes an additional 14 minutes to drive it. Not possible. The only time I see Jarvis get congested is if there are emergency vehicles on the street (firetrucks, paramedics etc.) tending to a problem or if there is a vehicular accident.

 

[GraphicMatt]

He's not saying that it takes an additional 14 minutes, but that northbound travel times at peak sometimes take up to five minutes longer than they used to. Here's what the staff report has to say on the additional delay:

Much of the increased travel time could be attributed to the delays and queues experienced at the Jarvis Street/Gerrard Street East intersection, particularly in the northbound direction during the p.m. peak period.

The introduction of an advanced left turn phase in the northbound direction at this intersection, scheduled this summer, will reduce the delays at this intersection and the overall travel times between Queen Street East and Charles Street East.

The installation of the advanced-left signal will significantly ease the bottleneck, but some still seem to cling to the belief that maybe removing infrastructure used by more than 900 people a day is a better solution. Go figure.

 

[adma]

The only person I know who thinks Ford is great is my mother. Fortunately, she doesn't live in Toronto so she couldn't vote for him. When I told her about the DUI, drunken behaviour at the Gardens, etc. she said it was all lies made up by the left to discredit him. I'm sure she's not alone in thinking this; she's of the Archie Bunker generation who just doesn't trust those left-wing pinkos. (Let's just say I don't often discuss politics with her because it gives me a headache)

Which may also fit into the "tkip's mom" tableau. And it may not just be Archie Bunker generation, but Archie Bunker mentality as well. That is, they're the sort who'd fall for any sweet-talking aluminum-siding or home-renovation huckster; and those who warn against such hackjobs are "left-wing pinkos" by design.

Folks: if any of you have moms like that, consider matricide. (Or at least a metaphorical aesthetic matricide.)

 

[Filip]

Which may also fit into the "tkip's mom" tableau. And it may not just be Archie Bunker generation, but Archie Bunker mentality as well. That is, they're the sort who'd fall for any sweet-talking aluminum-siding or home-renovation huckster; and those who warn against such hackjobs are "left-wing pinkos" by design.

Folks: if any of you have moms like that, consider matricide. (Or at least a metaphorical aesthetic matricide.)

So if our mothers have right-leaning political views we should kill them or shun them from our lives?

Good to know you've reinforced my opinions of you. You're a creep.

 

[Electrify]

Since I needed to be downtown later that day, I went in to watch the last Council proceedings on the Wednesday morning. In the elevator on the way up Councillour Parker informed me that I was missing much, but I arrived just in time to see Mayor Ford mug it up on the pink bike, disrupting Councillour Wong-Tam's attempts to announce the upcoming Pride celebrations. Half way through the morning an adult ESL class arrived, about fifteen students and their teachers sitting in the top row spanning one of the aisles. They were publicly welcomed by the Speaker. First Councillour Augmeri walked up to speak with them. The students appeared to have no idea who she was, but a few politely shook her hand. She does look like a nice lady.

Then Mayor Ford yanked up his pants and marched over to them. He stood on the stairs reaching back to his mean-looking bullet head assistant a couple steps below, who was carrying a large stack of business cards. This time the students, many of them women with colourful scarfs wrapped around their heads, became all giddy with excitement. They knew who this guy was. On the floor the conflict of interest officer was attempting to present her report. Due to the noise in chambers, it was impossible to follow her. Two, three times she was interrupted when the Speaker or another Councillour made attempts to lessen the noise. Ford and the group of students moved away from the viewing area and onto the upper area near the elevators, but the noise from the group still buzzed with their excitement. I doubt that these people share Ford's drive to cut costs and services (as new immigrants in an ESL programme they are probably heavily reliant on them). They probably have little understanding of what he stands for. But when he approached them, the faces of the students I could see across from me lit up like he was a celebrity.

Ford's simplicity works for him. Unless a big scandal undermines that quality, it will probably continue to work for him. He's like a cartoon character, instantly memorable in a superficial way. I saw how this group of mostly female recent immigrants reacted to him and wondered how much that same reaction happens in the apartment blocks of Scarborough and North York, and wondered how many votes that will translate into, especially after he has spent three years playing the mayor.

Like I said in a now locked thread, I think there is a misconception of the profile of the average Ford voter. People tend to think those who voted for Ford are all old white guys who drive around their SUVs all day. Reality is that the areas which voted for Ford the most are the ones which have the highest concentration of immigrants. The vast majority of which come from nations with less than progressive views on gays and civil rights, and may have limited English skills so they eat up his simple soundbytes and get their news from easy to digest sources the The Sun.

 

[Electrify]

The only person I know who thinks Ford is great is my mother. Fortunately, she doesn't live in Toronto so she couldn't vote for him. When I told her about the DUI, drunken behaviour at the Gardens, etc. she said it was all lies made up by the left to discredit him. I'm sure she's not alone in thinking this; she's of the Archie Bunker generation who just doesn't trust those left-wing pinkos. (Let's just say I don't often discuss politics with her because it gives me a headache)

Just wanted to say good for you for having the ability to distance yourself from your mother's politics and think for yourself.